The invention relates to a clip arrangement for releasably fastening an object to at least one line.
It is known to use clips, in particular made of plastics material, to fasten elongate articles, for example pipes, lines or cables, to a support or to a wall. Clips of this type are used, in particular, for fitting fuel lines, brake lines or electric lines. Clips of this type are used in large numbers in automotive engineering. Numerous embodiments of clips of this type are described, for example in U.S. Pat. No. 5,547,064 or U.S. Pat. No. 4,450,605.
Depending on the type of mechanical tensile strength desired of the fastening, the lines are partially or completely surrounded by structures of the clips, wherein clips in particular which can be subjected to tensile loads usually have the property that they can only be released with difficulty, and easily releasable clips usually have the property of having relatively low tensile strength.
To fasten an object to a support, a particular structure is needed on the support, such as, for example, a stud or a hole, so additional stages of operation are usually necessary to fit an object to a support.
The object of the present invention is consequently to provide a device for fastening an object on an already fastened strip, allowing, on the one hand, simple fastening of the object and, on the other hand, high mechanical tensile strength in connection with simple releasability of the object. Moreover, the line itself should not be damaged during frequent fastening and release of the object.
The clip arrangement according to the invention for releasably fastening an object to at least one elongate article, in particular a line, has a clamping part which can be snapped onto the line, and a retaining part for releasably fastening the object between the retaining part and clamping part. Releasable fastening of an object in a simple manner is possible with this clip arrangement as the object is fastened directly onto the line and additional structures such as a hole or a stud become superfluous. By fitting a rigid clamping part onto the line, a high degree of positioning precision is achieved even with frequent release and fastening of the object. Moreover, with this clip arrangement it is indirectly possible to releasably fasten the object in a simple manner to the support on which the line is fixed.
In a further development of the invention, the line may be termed a utility line, such as an electric line, a fuel line, a brake line or the like. Lines of this type are to be found at many points, for example in vehicles, and can therefore be used to fasten further objects.
In a further embodiment of the clip arrangement, the clamping part has fastening structures adapted to the line cross-section. Secure fixing of the clamping part on the line is ensured with these fastening structures and positioning precision is increased. A multiplicity of structures are possible as fastening structures, as described, for example in U.S. Pat. No. 5,588,683. One or more lines with identical or different cross-sections can thus be used as a retaining device by means of corresponding fastening structures on the same clamping part.
In an advantageous development of the invention, the clamping part has damping structures which reduce the transmission of mechanical oscillations between the line and object. Both the transmission of oscillations of the line to the object and the transmission of oscillations of the object to the line is weakened. This is achieved in that the damping structures contain flexible elements that are capable of elastically absorbing relative movements between the line and object.
In a further advantageous development of the invention, the clamping part is rotatably connected to the retaining part, latching means being provided at predetermined relative angular positions. The rotatable connection allows a twist lock with which release and fastening of the object can be executed. The rotatable connection can be, on the one hand, an articulated joint, in which two or more parts mesh, but can also be a flexible connection, in which one element elastically absorbs a rotation. In the flexible connection, at least one portion is manufactured from flexible material, for example soft plastics material. The latching means provide firmly latching relative angular positions between the clamping part and retaining part and prevent unintentional rotations of the twist lock and therefore undesired release of the fastening.
In a further embodiment of the invention, the latching means have at least one spring element which is secured against its spring loading when rotation occurs. The spring element presses into a cavity in an appropriate manner for latching.
The latching means are provided on the clamping part and the retaining part in one embodiment of the invention and on the retaining part and the object in a further embodiment of the invention. The means always consist of at least two cooperating structures. One is, for example, a resilient pin and the other is a structure having a cavity or an elevation.
According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, on the clamping part there is a journal socket into which a journal of the retaining part can be inserted. Alternatively, there is a journal available on the clamping part that can be inserted into a journal socket on the retaining part. As a result, a connection between the clamping part and retaining part is achieved.
According to a further development according to the invention, the journal and/or the journal socket have a barbed structure which cooperates with the respective counter-structure in such a way that a connection which is easy to assemble and is thereafter tension-resistant if produced between the clamping part and the retaining part.
In a still further development of the invention, latching means are fitted to the journal, in that the journal is at least partially non-circular in cross-sectional design, but preferably in the manner of a polygon, in particular a square. As a result of the cross-section of the journal deviating from a circular shape, cavities and elevations are effectively formed which allow latching of resilient counter-structures of the journal socket at predetermined relative angular positions of the retaining part and clamping part. In this process, squares are only a sub-class of all shapes that are non-circular. Other shapes, for example oval shapes or truncated circular shapes fulfill the same purpose.
In a particularly preferred further development, the cross-section of the journal is a square with beads on the respective corners. As a result, the latching function is improved and wear at the corners is avoided when the journal is frequently turned in the journal socket. Increased security against automatic release of the fastening even after frequent actuation is thus achieved.
In a special embodiment of the invention, the journal, at its upper end, has a collar which projects everywhere radially, on the bottom of which a barbed structure of the journal socket is supported once the journal has been inserted. The barbed structure allows, in this way, retention of the journal secured against falling out. The barbed structure, preferably formed from obliquely positioned finger-like barbs, simultaneously serves as a resilient structure for latching on the cavities of the journal, which is not round.
In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the clamping part and the retaining part are permanently connected by a two-component injection moulding method, but are produced movably with respect to one another. This method has the advantage that the clamping part and retaining part can be produced as a two-membered coherent part in a production line, so a stage of later assembly is dispensed with.
In a preferred embodiment of the clip arrangement according to the invention, the object to be fastened has a non-circular opening, in particular a narrow slot, and the retaining part a non-circular projection so the projection can be inserted through the opening and locks the object and fixes it in at least one predetermined angular position between the object and retaining part. As a result, a connection is obtained between the retaining part and object that can be released again and can be produced by rotating the retaining part.
In a particular embodiment of the clip arrangement according to the invention, the object is fastened with elastic deformation of the clamping part and/or the retaining part, in that the spacing between the clamping part and retaining part, at least in partial regions, is smaller than the thickness of the object. As a result of the elastic deformation of the clamping part and/or the retaining part, loose fastening of the object is avoided. Moreover, friction is increased during rotation of the retaining part relative to the clamping part or to the object. This, in turn, results in increased security against automatic release of the fastening.
In a further embodiment of the invention, the projection has a handle with which the journal can be turned. As a result of the handle, the fastening can be produced or released manually in a simple manner.
In a particular embodiment of the invention, the projection has reinforcing structures which ensure that the retaining part can absorb the tensile loads and torques. In a still further special embodiment of the invention, the clamping part and/or retaining part or the retaining part and/or the object have friction structures which make unintentional release of the fastening by automatic rotation difficult.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the object is a protective covering for the line or a housing part for another component near the line. As a result of the protective covering or the housing part, the line as such, but also surrounding parts, can be protected from external influences. In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the object is an electrical component and/or a housing thereof.
In a still further advantageous development, the object is fastened to a plurality of lines, in that the clamping part has sockets for a multiplicity of approximately parallel lines, so increased stability of the object is achieved.
Further advantageous embodiments and details of the invention are described by means of embodiments shown with the aid of the drawings. The invention is, however, not limited hereto, as numerous amendments, in particular of the special structures and geometry of the clip, are possible without changing the essential content of the invention.